Three more dengue patients died across the country on Friday as the viral fever afflicted 148 more people, taking the total number of cases to 8,088. The mosquito-borne disease has so far claimed 142 lives in the country.

"The cumulative cases in the country have increased. We will see a decline in the number of cases only in another 10 days. Since noon on Friday, 148 fresh cases have been reported, while three deaths have been registered," P L Joshi, director of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, told reporters.

In Delhi, two people died till Friday noon.

A dip in temperatures over the past few days had raised hopes of subsidence of the mosquito-borne disease and the capital had seen a considerable decrease in the number of dengue cases during the Diwali weekend.

Nighttime temperatures hovered around 16 degrees Celsius over the past week while the mercury touched a maximum of 32 degress during the day.

Experts said that the drop in temperatures would lead to a gradual natural death for the dengue virus. However, the daytime temperatures of around 30 degrees would still aid breeding of the dengue-causing Aedes aegypti mosquito, they said.

The minimum temperature on Friday morning was 17.4 degrees Celsius.

Delhi Health Secretary D S Negi said there was nothing unusual about the increase in dengue cases. "We have seen a spurt in dengue case in October when weather conditions are congenial for breeding of mosquitoes," he said.

Director of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme P L Joshi claimed there was decline in the density of dengue-causing mosquito Aedes aegypti.

"In the next few days, we will be able to say surely whether dengue is in a declining mode," he said.

Of the 79 fresh cases in the capital, 42 patients were admitted to AIIMS where 178 people afflicted with the disease are undergoing treatment.

Another 25 patients suspected to have contracted dengue have also been kept under observation at the hospital.